260 REVISION OF THE AUSTRALIAN SPECIES OF ADELIUM, 



Apasis howitti Pasc, on Mount Macedon, and A. puncticeps Lea r 

 on Mount Kosciusko, forms closely allied to Adelium. 



Variation. — I have below referred to varieties in the species 

 A. calosomoides Kirby. The same remarks apply to other species 

 which have a wide range, as A. brevicorne, A. porcatum, A. plici- 

 gerum, A. auratum. In such cases a distinct species is to be 

 considered as one which shows a more or less constant combina- 

 tion of characters, each of which may be subject to some varia- 

 tion. On the other hand, where two species described as different 

 show only one or even two variations, I have considered them as 

 local varieties. Thus I. consider A. virescens Boisd. = A. brevicorne 

 Blessig = .4. neophyta Pasc, to be extraordinarily variable in 

 colour and size; and I have specimens from the north of New 

 South Wales, Victoria and South Australia which vary in colour 

 from bronze to nearly black (Blessig especially mentions a black 

 variety known as A. sphaeroides), and in size from S-£ x 3*5 to 

 11x5 mm. A. plicigerum Pasc, only differs from A. rugosicolle 

 Macl,, in having its pronotum less coarsely rugose, and very 

 slightly in colour. Another difficult and unsatisfactory character 

 for differentiation of species is the foliation of the prothorax. 

 In Adelia generally where such foliation exists it is rarely 

 separated from the disc by a distinct division as in Cardiothorax, 

 and frequently the sculpture of the discal lobes is continued 

 without break to the sides. In common species like A. caloso- 

 moides a dozen specimens captured together will present every 

 variation of this character, from widely explanate border to a 

 specimen which shows very slight foliation. 



The most reliable characters appear to be —(1) The form and 

 length of antennae, especially that of the third joint; (2) form and 

 sculpture of prothorax and elytra; (3) what Blessig describes as 

 the " intercoxal process," a disc forming the anterior portion of 

 the first abdominal segment between the posterior coxae. Other 

 determining factors are size, colour, clothing, form of tibia?, tarsi, 

 epipleurae, eyes and oral organs. 



Sexual variations. — The following, though by no means con- 

 stant, are the normal variations in the sexes: — (1) Male narrower 



